Present day

Younghyun drank his third iced americano, yet he still yawned with his wide-open mouth. He had been switching things from his phone, his guitar, his bass, and a new novel he had read the first page only. He took a glance at Dowoon who was talking sweetly over the phone, then he stared at his. He was definitely expecting for a call. Or a text.

"Hyung, I'm going out with my friends. Are you okay here alone?"

"Oh, okay. Sure, I'll be fine."

"Hey, I'm not sure about the date. But aren't you going to meet Hwari noona?"

"Oh? Yeah." Younghyun gave several nods, but his expression didn't look convincing. His eyes didn't seem to focus now. It was like his face full of question marks.

Dowoon didn't dare to speak more words once he recognized the uncertainty from Younghyun's look. "Well then, I'll get going, Hyung. Don't get drunk tonight," he muttered as he left the older guy.

The name Dowoon mentioned earlier made Younghyun stared back at his phone again, which showed no notification at all. One and a half year had passed. His mind was full of memories from the past. How he finally succeeded moving on. How he was finally able to start anew and learn liking someone again. And to his surprise, this someone had similar love life like his. He was amused by that.

Last year they promised each other to meet again. This girl owed Younghyun something. Younghyun was very nervous waiting for the day to come. He double checked the date to make sure it was the D-day. Thank goodness Dowoon reminded him too before he left.

Right, Kang Younghyun, you did a good job waiting for this day. Whatever happens, happens.

Younghyun quickly snatched a brown coat after encouraging himself in the mirror. He still remembered the place they agreed to meet; a cafe near their campus gate. It was his favorite place because Younghyun found the americano the tastiest there. The cafe also had various signature cakes and pastries, which Hwari liked a lot because everything suits her taste.

Ding~!

A new message. Younghyun eagerly grabbed his phone. His heart was racing. And it was all for nothing because the message was from Dowoon, saying he left his charger in Younghyun's room. Younghyun didn't even bother to reply it. Instead he tossed away his phone to the passenger seat beside him.

His phone rang once again telling him there was another message. In annoyance he just sighed while grunting his nose. It must be Wonpil asking permission to break in to his house to take Dowoon's charger, he thought as he took his phone again.

From : Hwari
Hi~ I'm terribly sorry, I'm gonna be 15 mins late. Sorry to make you wait. I'll see you very soon!

Younghyun almost skipped a heartbeat when he checked his phone.

——

1 year ago

Younghyun had spent half decade failing to move on from his previous love. His friends couldn't even think of any reason why he was so stubborn for not letting go of the past. At least Younghyun didn't get mad when one day Sungjin took initiative to clean his place and tidy up all the things from his ex-girlfriend. And by tidy up it meant Sungjin wholeheartedly threw them away, right into the trash bin.

One day, Dowoon brought the hyungs, except Younghyun, along to his girlfriend's campus, which got himself scolded.

"Seriously, Dowoon, you're seeing your girlfriend and you bring us along?" nagged Sungjin.

Jaehyung continued, "Okay, remind me again. What are we doing here in Human Ecology Department?"

Dowoon let out his weird giggle. "Remember when I told you about Jiwoo's classmate? The one I thought would be perfect for Younghyun hyung. Once you guys see her, you'll agree that she is totally his type."

Now the boys started to show their interest. Then Dowoon pointed at two girls sitting at a bench. Both girls had long black hair. One wore pink sweater, jeans and Doc Mart boots, and the other one wore plain maroon midi dress with brown coat, and a pair of ballerina flat shoes. "The one in brown coat," he said. "How?"

"She's pretty," said both Sungjin and Wonpil.

"Jiwoo said that she's one of the brightest students. Her name is Lee Hwari," told Dowoon.

Jaehyung smiled proudly at Dowoon. "Not bad, Yoon Dowoon. I hope this time we can work it out to help him get over Ji So-eun completely," he said eagerly.

Not for long, Jiwoo, Dowoon's girlfriend came and joined the boys. Dowoon looked at her with puppy face, "Do you think you could help us?"

Not knowing anything, Jiwoo just nodded her head hesitantly.

"Hwari unnie," Jiwoo called. "Have you finished the paper for Professor Son's class?"

"Almost. You?"

"Half way there." Jiwoo let out a soft giggle. "By the way, Unnie, I'm going to have dinner. Why don't you come with me?"

"Thanks, but, I'm good."

"Unnie, come on," Jiwoo whined in a cute way. "Please? I insist, okay? It will be my treat. Yeah?"

Hwari ended up being dragged by Jiwoo to a chicken restaurant nearby the campus area. Jiwoo was a junior she liked a lot because of her politeness to seniors. She barely said no to this kind of junior.

"Unnie, I hope you don't mind that Dowoon and his friends joining us."

"Dowoon, your boyfriend? Sure. The more, the merrier, right?"

Jiwoo said thanks and left her for a moment to call Dowoon, who came with Jaehyung and Sungjin in less than five minutes after Jiwoo hung up her phone.

Hwari cheerfully greeted the boys, and vice versa. Both Jaehyung and Sungjin were sort of mesmerized by Hwari's presence that they couldn't take their eyes off of her. Dowoon was right. This Hwari girl had something and Younghyun would be such a fool if he missed this opportunity.

"Unnie, I've been wondering. Do you have a boyfriend?" 

Hwari chuckled shyly. "Why are you asking that?" She took a sip of her hot green tea, and eventually answered because Jiwoo stared at her very eagerly, "No, I don't."

"Really?" Dowoon exaggerated his reaction.

"What about your ideal type? How about boys in a band?" Jiwoo threw the bait.

"Hmm.. I'm not really into a band guy," Hwari said firmly, not knowing the fact that Jiwoo's boyfriend was in a band and the guys in front of her were Dowoon's bandmates. She explained a bit more about a guy in a band which she had this stereotype in her mind, that those kind of guys in a band usually were the it-boys, the popular and lovable boys with so many fangirls. Therefore, it would be difficult to survive to be their girlfriend, told her jokingly. "I don't really have great interest in music. Maybe a guy who plays sport?" she added while smiling.

"Ah, sports.." Jiwoo forced an awkward smile as she looked at Dowoon who was smiling awkwardly as well. "I forget Unnie is the manager of baseball club," she giggled awkwardly. Jiwoo's eyes were quivering.

The mood became weird drastically, yet Hwari would be the last person to realize it. Sungjin and Jaehyung were seemingly pretending to not hear anything. Deep down inside they were headpalming hard.

"Brian should have stayed in his basketball team even if he was that bad and only a bench player," Jaehyung whispered to Sungjin who nodded instantly. Later on, thanks to Jaehyung's self-dissing about him and his friend's ability in playing sport, the mood wasn't so awkward anymore. Just in time, Wonpil and Younghyun came and joined them. Wonpil sat next to Dowoon on the edge, while Younghyun sat across Hwari. 

It was hard for Jaehyung and Sungjin to not look at Hwari and Younghyun every once in a while. They only said hi and then introduced themselves to each other, and that was all. Jaehyung noticed Younghyun's default expression that made him look cold and unfriendly. This guy really needs help, Jaehyung thought in mind.

"Hwari, you said you have been to Canada, right? This friend here, Brian, too, went to Canada to attend high school," Jaehyung started talking rubbish to initiate a deeper conversation.

The Brian guy gave him a disapproving look and slightly hit Jaehyung while talking with his teeth gritted, "Stop. Calling. Me. Brian."

"Brian?" Hwari repeated. "Aren't you Brian Kang? Brian, Terry's friend from the math dance thing?"

'Brian' was wearing his straight face until the math dance was mentioned. He chuckled and sighed at the same time in disbelief.  "Wait, how do you know that?" That math dance thing was so last decade when he was in high school. He thought nobody would know it in Korea except his bandmates.

"I believe I went to the same school?"

"Oh! Wait, you do look familiar." Younghyun squinted his eyes, trying to remember his high school days. "You're from student exchange program, right? Jamie? Janey? Jane?"

"Janice, actually. Jane is fine. But, please call me Hwari."

"Right, Hwari." He smiled as he nodded. "Anyway, me too, please call me Younghyun."

Thanks to Jaehyung, the two little by little talked way much more reminiscing their good old days in Canada. Jaehyung smiled proudly at himself, while the rest of them eyed each other with a meaningful grin. Dowoon had the widest grin as he secretly gave a thumb to his girlfriend.

Picture made with Unfold /// photo credit to owner
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